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Timeline of High Church High Exarchs
The history of the High Church's High Exarchs has always been of interest for the chronologists and historians inside the Cloister of the Canonate for Faithful Knowledge for multiple reasons: their impact on the High Church, their contributions to the Sacred Texts, and their interactions with the wider Empire to name a few. A beloved but controversial pastime of these scholars to debate in the alternate histories of the High Church, using the character of the High Exarchs as basis. Indeed, every decade the foremost High Church historians make a list ranking the different High Exarchs' impact on the High Church and the Empire from best to worst, the most recent of which is this. Either way, High Church scholars research and record the history of the High Exarchs, updating the official history of the High Church every few decades. These scholars are also secretively tasked with omitting and editing history to fit the current High Church narrative. One notable recent example is the removal of certain quotes from Tomomi Koizumi which praised certain aspects of synths, quotes which naturally were removed from the official history after the War against the Artificials. (For the position of High Exarch, click here) 2217 - 2315: First High Exarch Lost in the mists of time, few exact details remain of who the First High Exarch was, not even their name or gender. What little surviving records of the First High Exarch exist, instead of chronicling Early Church history, deal almost exclusively with the acts of the First Emperox of which they are entirely reverent. Instead their reign, like that of the First Emperox, is shrouded in myth and speculation. Many of the myths about the First High Exarch and the First Emperox treat the two as extremely close personal friends or lovers forging the Empire together through their amazing journeys, with the High Exarch dying of grief upon learning of the Emperox’s death. However, more sceptical scholars speculate that since their reigns ended the same year they may in fact have been the same person. 2315 - 2340s: Cassian Trifer, the Second High Exarch Cassian Trifer was High Exarch during the early reign of Empress Eridanus Juliana and is mostly remembered for his vast financial reforms of the High Church. This included, but was not limited to, the adoption and optimisation of the tithing process, along with the streamlining of expenditure of the High Church. The 2340s - Early in Reign of Diomikato: Septimus Ulixes, the Third High Exarch Septimus Ulixes ascended to the position of High Exarch in the middle period of Empress Eridanus Juliana’ reign. It was a time of economic austerity, which was increasingly brewing resentment within the repressed serfdom. Officially, Ulixes greatly expanded the charitable branch of the High Church so that the splendid prosperity of the High Church could be shared with all the people of the Empire. However, the real reason for this expansion was that it was an efficient way to make the economic hardships of the serfdom more palatable, to pacify their rebellious spirit, and to foster a dependence on the High Church. As the financial situation reversed and blossomed into a golden age in the final years of Eridanus Juliana’s reign, the High Church reaped the rewards under Ulixes’ supervision and prospered until he died at some point early in the reign of Emperox Diomikato. Early Diomikato's Regin - 2480s: High Exarchs of Emperox Diomikato Lost to the mists of time, there is little surviving information of Emperox Diomikato’s reign and the same holds true for the chronology of the High Exarchs at the time. What little sources exist are fragmented and contradictory, rendering it impossible to get a clear picture of the period. Though there are sources that seem to indicate otherwise, the High Church nevertheless officially recognises that there were three High Exarchs during this time: the 4th High Exarch Scaevola Herenus, the 5th High Exarch Lucanus Drusus, and the 6th Exarch Aurelia Iavolenus. Historians critical of the official version often derisively state that this number is conveniently chosen so that Galla Laurentina and Pompilius Festus, the widely recognised best and worst High Exarchs, can respectively be assigned the holy number 10 and unholy number 11 in the line of High Exarchs. 2480s - 2542: Rufus Mactator, the Seventh High Exarch Emerging as High Exarch late in the mysterious reign of Emperox Diomikato, Rufus Mactator is more known for his relationship with the Mother of Mercy. He was already a steadfast ally at the time of her election, having pushed forward the proclamation granting approval for her Knights of Mercy to commence their purge within House Crux. The relationship between Mactator and the Mother of Mercy continued to blossom during her early reign, as he supported the new laws she was implementing in the Empire while actively restructuring High Church internal policy to be in line with them. Though officially this was done to increase fairness in the name of Propriety and Justice, some believe this was done to preempt and render unnecessary any attempt by the Mother of Mercy to legally entangle the High Church, reducing its autonomy. Critics of High Church theology even go so far as to suggest that this is the main reason why the High Church is positioned separately and in parallel on the Chain of Being today. Disregarding outlandish theories like the one above, the most long-lasting of Mactator’s achievements is how he championed for the High Church to be present in an advisory role at the creation of new laws, to ensure they are virtuous and in concordance with the Sacred Texts. Beyond this, he left behind a wealth of treatises discussing the theology surrounding the process of lawmaking, treatises which are still widely studied to this day. 2542 - 2597: Equitia Opis, the Eighth High Exarch Though a capable High Exarch, Equitia Opis is generally considered a boring character and remembered little outside of select historians today. She cemented the reforms of her predecessor and ensured that the High Church remained stable during the Mother of Mercy’s reign and the legal changes it entailed, but failed to do anything particularly noteworthy to further leave her mark on history. 2597 - 2640: Sestia Tarquinius, the Ninth High Exarch Becoming High Exarch in the latter years of the Mother of Mercy’s reign, Sestia Tarquinius oversaw the transition to the Firekeeper’s reign. Today she is mostly known for her relationship with the new Emperor, which already at his election was troubled. Publically known to have heavily criticised the mere concept of the title of Emperox being passed from parent to child, extensive records further detailing her doubts of the new Emperor’s character are kept hidden from all but senior members within the Cloister of the Canonate for Faithful Knowledge. Indeed, though the reasons why are unknown, it is known that she openly criticised the proposed laws which ultimately won the Firekeeper his election, perhaps because they stepped too closely on High Church theology concerning the Chain of Being. Serving ably as High Exarch in spite of her feelings towards her Emperor, she died the same year as the Firekeeper crushed the Asurien rebellion. This unfortunate reality has made many speculate if she was actually supporting the rebellion. The theory then goes that she took her own life upon hearing of Asurien’s death at the Hammerburg Mountains to avoid the repercussions for her family and the High Church should she be found out. Understandably, official High Church history rejects this view and holds that the date of her death is just an unfortunate coincidence. 2640 - 2656: Galla Laurentina, the Tenth High Exarch Immediately proving to be exceptional upon her ascension as she set about implementing a great number of lauded reforms within the High Church, Galla Laurentina is today considered the perfect exemplar of a High Exarch. Beyond being a great reformer, she also lent her unmatched teaching skills to her fellow High Church members, igniting their passion for higher theological learning and spurring them on to reach ever greater heights. Among Laurentina’s students, one stood out as unnaturally able and was seen by all to be her clear favourite and natural successor. Unbeknownst to all he nefariously hid a rotten heart and on a grey day in the year of 2656, he brutally butchered Laurentina in her personal chambers. Leaving her twisted body to be discovered the next day, the scene clearly betrayed to all the murderer’s utter hatred for her. Despite a month-long complete lockdown of Andophael, her pupil skillfully deflected the investigation until he would succeed her as High Exarch, taking the cursed name Pompilius Festus. In a twisted display after succeeding Laurentina, Festus would do his utmost to violate her memory, repealing her reforms and burning the records chronicling them. Today they have achieved an almost mythological status within the High Church, with contemporary reformers always espousing how their proposed reforms capture the original spirit of Laurentina’s reforms. Furthermore, the Lost Scrolls of Galla Laurentina are a highly sought artefact by journeying Crusaders, rumoured to contain not only the original reforms but also future unimplemented reforms that would have perfected both the High Church and the Empire. 2656 - 2665: Pompilius Festus, the Eleventh High Exarch Having secretly assassinated his mentor and predecessor, upon ascending to the position of High Exarch Pompilius Festus immediately set about rooting out her supporters and plummeting the High Church into a dark time of brutal tyranny. Though his reign would almost mercifully be cut short by the Scream after a mere 9 years, the enormity of the evils committed in his name during this time beggars belief. Indeed, more sober historians often point out that there simply was not enough time during his reign for all of his supposed deeds to have taken place. Said historians instead hold that over time his infamous legacy has naturally been more and more exaggerated to turn him into a convenient theological scapegoat for the calamity that was the Scream. To support this view they often point to how neatly the stories of him performing mad experiments with psychics to achieve immortality and usurp the Firekeeper fits into this narrative. Disregarding exaggerations, Festus was nevertheless almost certainly a terrible High Exarch and nobody disputes that he repealed the cherished reforms of his predecessor. Only the most ardent of sceptics furthermore dispute that he confessed to having murdered High Exarch Laurentina. His subsequent reenactment upon a misfortunate acolyte to prove that he really had done the deed, either in front of a group of powerful nobles or the Council of Exarchs itself, is likewise mostly believed to actually have taken place. Having been lost in transit during the Scream, with such infamy it is thus understandable why Festus has become something of a modern boogeyman, with parents threatening their misbehaving children that the cursed High Exarch will return to steal their souls should they not seize their antics. Being raised with such stories, it is thus understandable that even among adults it is a widespread belief that Festus actually achieved immortality and is desperately searching for a way to return to the Sector to resume his reign of terror. 2665 - 2670/2709: Post-Scream High Church As the Scream isolated the various systems of the Empire from each other, the centralised authority held by Andophael over the rest of the High Church was completely fractured. 2670/2709 - 2780: Twelfth High Exarch - Masood Al-Awar (Masoodites believe Masood became the High Exarch of the entire High Church when he was elected High Exarch of the Tsatsos exclave in 2670, while everyone else uses the time he was elected High Exarch of the reunified High Church in 2709) A highly respected figure within the High Church even seen as divine by some, Masood would take charge of the Tsatsos exclave by becoming its High Exarch in 2670 and leading it through the isolation of the Scream. Upon Tsatsos rediscovery in 2694, Masood would become but one of suddenly many High Exarchs in the Empire, since other exclaves also had proclaimed their own High Exarch and adopted disparate new practices and theology during their isolation. Masood would use his diplomatic skills to help mend any immediate rifts and convincing them all to attend a series of ecumenical councils on Andophael. Over 4 years, Masood would push forward his plan of subsuming the different exclaves into a wider structure with a set of 10 branches. After the councils, Masood was elected High Exarch of the reunified High Church in 2709 and started implementing his reforms the same year. His success in unifying and holding the Church together so impressive, it would draw the ire of a group of nobles who would assassinate him in 2780. After his death Masood was declared an Arhat, and the Tsatsos branch renamed themselves the Masoodites in honour of their martyr who they now believed had been an actual Messiah. (For a more detailed account of Masood Al-Awar's reign, click here) 2780 - 2805: Ksawery Bartosz, the Thirteenth High Exarch (High Order) Faced with the tall task of succeeding the recently assassinated Masood, Ksawery Bartosz’s first and most long-lasting act was the Proclamation of Neutrality in Emperox Elections which, after a brief lapse during his successor’s reign, has continued be observed until the present day. Unfortunately, his reign is mostly remembered for his increasingly desperate attempts of de-escalation between the noble houses in the period leading up to the 1st Imperial civil war which proved as fruitless as they were incompetent. Most famous of his attempts to promote peace, a diplomatic meeting Bartosz arranged in 2804 would prove a major failure as his bungled opening speech is now considered a major stepping stone on the road to the civil war which began later the same year. By unfortunate phrasing, the speech was understood by those attending as meaning the High Church would be lending their support to some unknown house. The result was increasing paranoia among the nobles houses which soured relations and damaged the trust the High Church had managed to build up as impartial mediators. Fearing the High Church was favouring other houses, the noble houses would bar their High Church advisors from attending important meetings and acting as a safeguard against disastrous escalation. Following the beginning of the civil war later in 2804, Bartosz went into seclusion in his personal chamber upon hearing the news. There he would remain for a full year, meditating and contemplating his failures, before reemerging to announce his resignation. Today he is mostly considered an incompetent fool, but it is often debated just how much he deserves this legacy and to what extent the 1st Imperial civil war was inevitable in spite of his best efforts. 2805 - 2848: Yekonyah Kelila, the Fourteenth High Exarch (High Order) Becoming High Exarch in the infancy of the 1st Imperial civil war, Yekonyah Kelila immediately set about trying to de-escalate the conflict. Beginning with private talks with separate houses before proceeding to big diplomatic summits between many houses, as these attempts fell on deaf ears she would increasingly abandon Bartosz’s neutrality proclamation. Instead, she pursued a policy of appeasement towards all the noble houses, going so far as to privately pledge support to individual houses. Kelila’s placating of the nobles houses would backfire however as they, angered at insufficiently unilateral High Church support and sensing an opportunity, applied political pressure and even threatened to attack local churches to procure further aid. Kelila was frequently forced to acquiesce to these demands before desperately worming her way out of them a few years later. As this pattern repeated itself it would prove disastrous as the noble houses were taking ever greater liberties towards the High Church, ultimately threatening to splinter it into individual subservient organisations. Increasingly resented among High Church members, Kelila’s policies would eventually be put to a final test as their merits were debated in an emergency session of the Council of Exarchs. Coalescing around the proposal of the Guardian Exarch, the Council would eventually demand that the policy of appeasement be completely reversed in favour of one of aggressively defending High Church independence and reaffirming the neutrality proclamation. Kelila, sensing she had lost the confidence of the council, as a result, resigned out of shame to let the Guardian Exarch succeed her as High Exarch. 2848 - 2901: Wilhelmina Fashingbauer, the Fifteenth High Exarch (Guardian) After a controversial affair wherein the Council more or less forced her predecessor to step down, Wilhelmina Fashingbauer was elected to enact her policy of resisting noble demands and aggressively defending High Church independence during the latter part of the 1st Imperial civil war. As Fashingbauer mobilised forces to protect High Church assets across the Sector, the noble houses responded by applying economic pressure, diplomatic sanctions, and even some minor skirmishes. In spite of noble pressure, Fashingbauer refused to budge and the noble houses, busy with their internal conflict, would eventually be forced to begrudgingly accept the High Church’s newfound autonomy. While noble relations would remain strained and cause her to remain a controversial figure within the High Church, Fashingbauer was nevertheless successful in maintaining High Church authority until the Blood Eagle would finally emerge victorious from the civil war. Upon the Blood Eagle’s ascension, Fashingbauer would step down as High Exarch, officially believing herself to be unsuitable to mend the rifts still present in the peaceful Empire the new Empress would surely bring about. Unofficially it is widely believed that in no small part she stepped down on the Blood Eagle’s behest, as a punishment for not having abandoned the High Church independency policy and stepped in line until the Blood Eagle’s ascension was undeniable. Because all of Fashinbauer’s accounts of the Blood Eagle are positive and seems to indicate she believed her to be a force for peace, it is however, most likely that the resignation was a mutual and pragmatic decision, recognising that their shared history would render them unable to work with each other. 2901 - 2912: Jia Ai Hou, the Sixteenth High Exarch (High Order) Ascending at the start of the Blood Eagle's reign, Ai Hou's reign would be almost entirely revolving around the Blood Eagle would implement. While initially supportive of the Blood Eagle, Ai Hou started to question her loyalty after the increasingly oppressive measures being put into place. This would cause her to rally the Siblings of the Seventh in 2906, giving them the mission of assessing the growing conflict and choosing which side the join to safeguard High Church autonomy. While Ai Hou initially followed the Blood Eagle's commands, her obedience would seize in 2912 when the Blood Eagle requested that the Inquisition be empowered and put under Imperial Scruenty. Fearing that an empowered inquisition would reveal the divided loyalty of the Siblings and herself, she started funneling money to the Siblings so that they could expand their operations and survive independently of the Council of Exarchs' funding. This movement of money was brought to the attention of the Blood Eagle by the Reformist Exarch, which resulted in Ai Hou being replaced as High Exarch by the Reformist Exarch and being sent to Gleipnir in 2915. Her final act of defiance, she provided the Siblings of the Seventh unparalleled authority to act independently against the new High Exarch to save the High Church. (For a more detailed account of Jia Ai Hou's reign, click here) 2912 - 2921: Satisha Sharma, the Seventeenth High Exarch (Reformist) As a reward for having revealed the treachery of their predecessor, Satisha Sharma was appointed as High Exarch and tasked with implementing the reforms to the Inquisition their predecessor had deliberately ignored. Wholeheartedly devoted to their Empress, this process was rapidly completed, but when Sharma further tried to call upon the Siblings of the Seventh to assist the Inquisition they withdrew into hiding, refusing to meet. As a result, Sharma declared the organisation defunct and set the Inquisition loose to root them out. To Sharma’s great despair the Siblings would capably divert their offensive, having prepared for this scenario and massively expanded their operations over the last few years. Either side unable to readily attain the upper hand, the resulting conflict between the Inquisition and the Siblings would continue to characterise High Church internal politics for the remainder of the Blood Eagle’s reign. Sharma themselves would, however, a mere 9 later be dismissed, like the predecessor they had usurped, for their failure in rooting the Siblings out. Impotent High Exarchs under the Blood Eagle (18th to 23rd) 2921 - 2928: Haldor Rask, the Eighteenth High Exarch (Crusader) 2928 - 2934: Praskovya Volkov, the Nineteenth High Exarch (Crusader) 2934 - 2938: Alajos Szarka, the Twentieth High Exarch (High Order) 2938 - 2945: Thaksin Metharom, the Twenty-First High Exarch (High Order) 2945 - 2949: Florentino Cabrera, the Twenty-Second High Exarch (High Order) 2949 - 2955: Seong-Jin Cho, the Twenty-Third High Exarch (Conservaré) Between 2921 and 2955, the position of High Exarch would be filled by a revolving door of 6 High Exarchs incapable of carrying out the Blood Eagle’s commands because of opposition from the Siblings and thus being summarily dismissed: Haldor Rask, Praskovya Volkov, Alajos Szarka, Thaksin Metharom, Florentino Cabrera, and Seong-Jin Cho. During this period of impotent High Exarchs, the High Church would be stuck in a constant shadow war between the empowered Inquisition and the Siblings of the Seventh. The Council of Exarchs, threatened by dismissal should their loyalty falter, would champion the Empress’ cause so that the High Church at large would continue to officially support the Blood Eagle. The Siblings of the Seventh, on the contrary, would side with the Council of Houses by providing them information and covert diplomatic outreach following the battle of Andophael 2934, in spite of it having been a massive defeat. Whether this was done because of incredible precognition skills predicting the victors or because they thought the Inquisition had become a cancerous tumour that needed to be excised by any means necessary, the Siblings would proceed to set up their own Phantom Council to aid the rebel's cause. Over time the Phantom Council’s power would secretly grow to surpass that of the Council of Exarchs itself as the civil war increasingly tipped against the Blood Eagle. Therefore more controversial historians hold that all of the official High Exarchs of the time are unworthy of the title and should be struck from the official line of High Exarchs, but the High Church continues to suppress this view to the best of its ability. Instead, it maintains that they are in fact all legitimate, in accordance with the official theological stance of the Blood Eagle’s reign also having been legitimate. 2934/2955 - 2992: Otto Miroslav, the Twenty-Fourth High Exarch (Purist) Before becoming High Exarch, Miroslav was a prominent member of the Siblings of the Seventh who was able to infiltrate the Council of Exarch after the purge of Ai Hou's supporters in 1912. Beyond already having been elected as leader of the Phantom Council upon its formation in 2934, by manipulating who got elected to the Council of Exarchs he was able to become High Exarch after the death of the Blood Eagle in 2955. During his time as High Exarch, he would use his unparalleled power to reverse the most egregious reforms enacted during the Blood Eagle's reign, most notably the empowered Inquisition. Though this would be done discreetly to preserve the narrative of the infallible and divine Emperox, he would additionally openly strengthen the High Church so it could stand up against future Emperoxs. For example, he moved the selection of a new High Exarch from the Emperox into the hands of the Council of Exarchs. When the Church of Humanity, Repentant was founded in 2969, Miroslav disregarded usual practice of usurping and absorbing heterodoxy into the High Church in favour of a policy of pressuring it into non-existence. After 15 years this policy would prove so unsuccessful that Miroslav was forced to discard it in favour of the long-standing policy of publically ignoring the fledgling church while using more subtle means to oppose them. (For a more detailed account of Otto Miroslav's reign, click here) 2992 - 3021, 3021 - 3030, 3030 - 3056: The Opeyemi Family; Refilwe Opeyemi, the 25th High Exarch (High Order), Limbikani Opeymi, the 26th High Exarch (High Order), and Chinweike Opeyemi, the 27th High Exarch (High Order) While the three Opeyemi High Exarchs were all capable and left a significant impact on the High Church, they are known mostly by the tragic drama surrounding their lives. Refilwe Opeyemi was the first High Exarch of the family and was a musically talented man who created the book of hymns still used by the modern High Church. In 3021 he would be assassinated by his wife Limbikani Opeymi who was under the impression that Refilwe was about assassinate the Emperox. Taking up the position of High Exarch herself, she would for 9 years she use her administrative skills to bring the financial system up to a level not seen since the reign of Emperox Eridanus Juliana. In 3030 her she too would be deposed by her and Refilwe's child, Chinweike Opeyemi, who believed that Limbikani had killed Refilwe to simply seize power. Chinweike would soon discover that their bloody family feud had been the results of their scheming grandmother who wanted to abuse the power of the High Church to her own benefit. In a fit of rage Chinweike slew their grandmother, but sadly their mother would commit suicide out of despair after having killed the love of her life on a false rumour. Chinweike would thereafter reign with the passion of their father and the efficiency of their mother, yet when they died in 3056, a posthumous confession revealed that in fact Refilwe and Limbikani, though unknown to them had been biological siblings. In a final dramatic twist, it was thus revealed that Chinweike was a product of incest, forever clouding their reputation to the Sector at large. (For a more detailed account of the drama and the regin of the Opeyemi Family, click here) 3056 - 3073: Timur Alisher, the Twenty-Eighth High Exarch (Karmist) A historical oddity, Timur Alisher is today remembered more for his love of psiball than his deeds as High Exarch. Ascending to the position 6 years before the end of the Masked One’s reign, Alisher had played extensively in his earlier days, only stopping because his duties became more taxing as he ascended the High Church hierarchy. Faced with the freedom of direction his new position brought, he created the first High Church psi-ball team, the Andophael Upper Youth Division, and became their coach. Undoubtedly taking up valuable time and mental capacity, Alisher achieved little outside the passion project that was his psi-ball team and only by the Council of Exarchs intervening to shoulder the burden of leadership was the administration of the High Church not left to the wayside. His efforts for the High Church psi-ball team were however not wasted, as he managed to lead them to a Psi-ball league victory in 3070. Taking this as a sign that he had fostered an ability to recognise and develop their own strengths while maintaining a good-natured spirit in all the members of the team, he decided to actually shoulder the duties of ruling the High Church as High Exarch for the final year of his reign and retire as their coach. The Andophael Upper Youth Division has not won a single game since. 3073 - 3074: David Smith, the Twenty-Ninth High Exarch (Orthodoxy) David Smith would only rule as High Exarch for a single year, his brief reign the only noteworthy fact about him that exists. Even with a gun to the head, no historian - and presumably not even an Exarch at the time - would be able to tell you what the High Church was doing under his leadership or even why he was elected. In spite of it being a complete departure from the strict hierarchical practices of the High Church, Smith was removed from the position as High Exarch by an illegal Council vote. The fact that nobody objected to this speaks volumes about what people thought of the stagnant nothingness that “characterises” his reign. 3074 - 3158: Tomomi Koizumi, the Thirtieth High Exarch (Conservaré) Overseeing the High Church for the majority of the Shining Star’s reign, Tomomi Koizumi’s impeccable administration would make the reign a golden age for the High Church. Famous for their excellent working relationship with the Emperox, there would be few conflicts between the Imperial house and the High Church during this time. Internally Koizumi would oversee and personally participate in a great number of influential theological discussions, massively increasing cross-branch communication and cooperation. Koizumi reign was one of remarkably little conflict and what few hiccups were encountered she quickly resolved satisfactorily. This has in hindsight proven a curse for historians, as even among them there is seemingly little to debate about her reign, as the consensus of it having been a golden, peaceful, and noncontroversial time is so prevalent. Only among select few rebel historians is it whispered that she may not be wholly deserving of the praise she gets, the historical records having been stricken of any reference to her promoting the value of synths and even the expansion of their rights. 3158 - 3198: Thirty First High Exarch - Lysander Ibn Sa'id (Reformist) Becoming High Exarch in 3158, Lysander would be the High Exarch to crown the Betrayer in 3162, beginning an increasingly tragic close relationship between the two. During his reign, Lysander would be active in not only in the doctrinal study of theology but also in diplomacy, forging and strengthening diplomatic ties with other houses and organisations within the Empire. Unfortunately all these acts are overshadowed by his counsel of Betrayer whose synth production was increasing in intensity, a fact which sparked much debate within the Council of Exarchs. In an almost unprecedented act, the Council of Exarch would go behind Lysander's back and declare synths soulless abominations, beginning the War against the Artificials. As the war progressed Lysander became ever more isolated from the rest of the High Church due to his now extreme views on the political landscape and in particular his reluctance to oppose the Emperor. When the Betrayer was assassinated in 3198, Lysander would take his own life later that same year leaving behind a note which read: "Forgive their souls for what they have done." 3198 - Present Day: Thirty Second High Exarch - Current High Exarch (High Order) The current High Exarch is a mysterious figure whose personal details strangely seem to elude everyone. Radical conspiracy theorists hold that this is because of Guild influence preventing said details from becoming known until the Current High Exarch is revealed on something called a "Far Verona Show", though nobody seems capable of specifying what that actually is. Having served as High Exarch only 3 years, the Current High Exarch is nevertheless already a accomplished but highly controversial figure. The High Church official story still being cemented is that the Current High Exarch saved the Empire from being subsumed by rebellious corporations in the STO war, but in so doing was forced to sacrifice the ancient and venerable noble house of Vela. Nevertheless, the Current High Exarch was successful in achieving the most pressing of High Church goals as the Eternal Rose was crowned Emperox in 3201, an Emperox the Current High Exarch is currently busy counselling on theological matters.Category:The High Church of Messiah-as-Emperox Category:History Category:NPCs Category:The High Church of Messiah-as-Emperox Members